Jeremiah 17:21

21 'Thus says the LORD, "1Take heed for yourselves, and 2do not carry any load on the sabbath day or bring anything in through the gates of Jerusalem.

Jeremiah 17:21 Meaning and Commentary

Jeremiah 17:21

Thus saith the Lord, take heed to yourselves
That ye sin not against the Lord, by breaking the sabbath, and so bring wrath and ruin upon yourselves: or "to your souls" F1; to the inward frame of them, that they be in disposition for the work of that day; and that they be wholly engaged therein, even all the powers and faculties of them; and that they be not taken up in thoughts and cares about other things: and bear no burden on the sabbath day;
as no worldly thoughts and cares should, cumber the mind, and lie heavy thereon, to the interruption of spiritual exercises of religion; so neither should any weight or burden be borne by the body, or carried from place to place; as not by themselves, so neither by their servants, nor by their cattle, nor in carts and wagons, nor by any instrument whatever; in short, all servile work was forbidden: nor bring [it] in by the gates of Jerusalem;
to be unloaded and sold there, as wine, grapes, figs, and fish, were, in the times of Nehemiah, ( Nehemiah 13:15 Nehemiah 13:16 Nehemiah 13:19 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F1 (Mkytwvpnb) "in animabus vestris", Calvin, Montanus, Schmidt.

Jeremiah 17:21 In-Context

19 Thus the LORD said to me, "Go and stand in the public gate, through which the kings of Judah come in and go out, as well as in all the gates of Jerusalem;
20 and say to them, 'Listen to the word of the LORD , kings of Judah, and all Judah and all inhabitants of Jerusalem who come in through these gates:
21 'Thus says the LORD , "Take heed for yourselves, and do not carry any load on the sabbath day or bring anything in through the gates of Jerusalem.
22 "You shall not bring a load out of your houses on the sabbath day nor do any work, but keep the sabbath day holy, as I commanded your forefathers.
23 "Yet they did not listen or incline their ears, but stiffened their necks in order not to listen or take correction.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Deut 4:9, 15, 23; Mark 4:24
  • 2. Numbers 15:32-36; Nehemiah 13:15-21; John 5:9-12
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